Editor’s View: New stats on Amazon don’t have to spell bad news for jewellers

This is not surprising news, but when hard stats are written in black and white it can often cause concern. But really, no good jeweller needs to worry.

Looking at the study into why consumers shop with Amazon, jewellers who are willing to embrace omnichannel have more to offer than the online giant.

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First of all, the report reveals consumers are in fact going into stores.

Yes, it indicates that they are just using a store as a showroom – but they are going in so jewellers have an opportunity to win them over.

It’s no secret that consumers will use the internet to research products and prices at some point during the consumer buying journey, so if they find a product cheaper on Amazon than in your store, what would make them shop with you?

You’ve guessed it – the customer experience.

Jewellers need to make sure shoppers don’t just see them as a showroom of products, but instead engage with them and let them know you can meet their needs better than any online-only platform.

Make them feel special, valued, and listened to.

In-store is where jewellers can shine.

What can you offer that would make a consumer want to shop with you rather than go home and buy the piece of jewellery they have seen on Amazon?

It could be that they can sign up to a loyalty scheme with you. Or perhaps you can offer a gift with purchase – I know many of you will be familiar with Mococo giving gifts with every purchase from chocolate through to in-house perfumes. Perhaps if they buy with you they will be invited back to a customer event, or a glass of prosecco could make them feel special.

It doesn’t even have to be all theatre and entertainment, just a well trained sale staff connecting with the customer and building a personal relationship can encourage someone to shop in store rather than on a screen.

There’s so much a jeweller can do to make sure consumers aren’t coming in to browse and then buying elsewhere.

Don’t let shoppers treat your store as a showroom.

As for the other reason Brits shop on Amazon, jewellers need to make sure they have the product a customer needs, exactly when they need it.

That means having an online website where they could purchase from home if coming into store isn’t convenient at that time. That also means looking into click and collect and click and reserve. It also means analysing data and anticipating what products need to be available in-store.

Amazon is not the only retailer that can offer speed delivery and no extra cost.

Jewellers need to be proactive and get the basics right.

There’s no point complaining that Amazon is stealing jewellery sales, and then not having the right systems and staff members in place to win business when someone walks right through your doors.